Tuning-peg for stringed instruments



B. POEHLAND.

TUNING PEG FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS APPLICATION FILED Nov.27,1918.

1,339,418, v Patented May 11, 1920.

E11/mundo@ BERNHARD POEl-ILAND, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TUNING-PEG FOB, STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

inseam.V

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 19,90.

Application filed November 27, 1918. Serial No. 264,284.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, BERNHARD POEHLAND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have4 invented certain newV and useful Improvements in Tuning-Pegs for Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains more particularly to instruments of the cello and violin classes in which strings are drawn to their proper musical tone by means of rotary tapered pegs or keys extendedk through tapered holes in the opposite sides of the head of the instrument, which sides are ordinarily made on lines diverging'toward the neck and body of the instrument.

My invention has several objects in view and one is to provide means for preventing` the displacement or slipping of the pegs from their binding bearing-surfaces during the tuning of the instrument or the unwinding of the peg or key under the tension of the string, and another is to adapt said means to the inclination or taper of the side of the head of the instrument, so that at all times a firm uniform bearing of the added means presented by my invention may be had against said side. A further object of my invention is to avoid any special modification of the ordinary pegs or keys customarily found in instruments of the classes in question, my invention being applicable to all such keys without material modification therein, whereby my invention may be applied to not only newly constructed instruments but to those already in use.

In accordance with my invention I apply a screw within the smaller end of the peg and on the screw I apply a spring dome washer having a central opening of greater diameter than that of the screw, al bushing having a convex inner end adapted to the opening in the washer and an external nut by which the bushing is pressed against the washer and the washer is pressed against 'the side of the neck or head of the instrument, the whole construction being such that the means presented by my invention become applicable to the heads or necks of string instruments regardless of variations in the taper or inclination of the side thereof, the spring washer being always capable of evenly seating itself againstsaid side.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view, partly broken away and partly in section, of a portion of a head of a cello or other stringed instrument equipped with the features of my invention Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through a portion of the same on the line of the center ofthe tuning peg;

if 3 is a detached outer face view of the features of my invention separated from the musical instrument, and

Fig. t is a corresponding View of the spring washer alone.

In the drawings, 10 designates a portion of the head of a cello or like musical instrument, 11 a tuning peg applied thereto in the usual manner, 12 a screw or stem secured within the smaller end of said peg 11 and having a threaded outer end, 20 a hollow segmental or dome shaped spring washer applied upon said screw and engaging thel side of said head of the instrument, 13 a bushing having a flat outer surface and a convex inner surface engaging the edges of a hele 1e in said spring washer, 15 a nut upon the outer threaded end of the screw or stem 12, and 16 a washer intermediate said bushing 13 and nut 15 and seated in a recess 17 in the inner face of said nut 15.

The peg or key 117 except for the features of my invention, is of usual construction, and my invention has for its purpose the continued use of the peg or key 11 in its common accepted form, but to render the employment of said peg or key more etlicient by providing means whereby after the instrument has been tuned, the tension of the strings will not reverse the movement of the pegs or keys and thus destroy the tone desired.

I he screw or stem 12 is preferably threaded at both ends, and I form a threaded socket in the smaller end of the key or peg 11 to receive the inner end of said stem 12, which projects outwardly from and longitudinally of the peg or key 11 and receives the further features of my invention residing in the spring-washer 20, bushing 13 and nut 15, the washer 1G being employed when desired.

The spring-washer 20 is formed from sheet metal and is in the shape of a domed disk having the opening 14 at its apex and formed with an encompassing fiat flange 21 to engage the side of the head 10. The washer 2O is slit inwardly at several points, as at 22, these slits extending through the flange 21 and up into the higher portions of the washer, and the washer 20 is also slit downwardly from the opening 14 at several points, as at 23, the slits 22, 23 serving to limpart resiliency to the washer as a whole.

The bushing 13 has a flat outer face and a rounded or convex inner surface, as shown in Fig. 2, and is seated against the edges of and extends partly within the hole 14 of the washer 20, whereby the bushing 13 may have an adjustable or ball-like bearing against the washer 20 and be permitted to press said washer evenly and firmly against the side of the head 10, whereby the fiange 21 of said washer may firmly and evenly engage the said side, even though said side is not at a right angle to the line of the screw or stem 12. The bushing 18 is pressed against the washer 2O by means of the nut 15 and washer 16, and the pressure of the nut 15 and bushing 13 against the washer 20 and the spring action of the washer 2O against the bushing 13, nut 15 and screw 12 serve to firmly draw the peg 11 into the tapered holes in the head 10, said washer and its associated parts thus serving to retain the peg 11 in correct position and avoiding those accidents which might otherwise result in the peg being reversed under the tension of the string 24:. The domed washer 20 and bushing 13 are of considerable importance in that they will adapt themselves to not only the taper of the side of the head 10, but to any small irregularities that might take place in applying the screw 12 to position in the peg 11, such as a failure to have the screw 12 in true alinement with the center of the peg. The resiliency of the washer 20 acting against the bushing 13 serves to prevent the nut 15 from turning off the screw 12 during the rotation of the peg 11. Then the peg 11 is rotated to tighten the string 24, the screw, nut 15 and bushing 13 turn with the peg, the rounded inner surface of the bushing then turning on the edges of the hole 14 in the washer 20. The rounded surfaces of the bushing 13 by engaging the edges of the hole 14 present limited frictional surfaces and may turn on said edges without effecting a rotation of the washer 20 or the unscrewing of the nut 15, which are features of importance.

My invention involves an attachment to the instrument and does not modify the ordinary operation of the peg 11, but serves to avoid accidental displacement of the peg 11 or accidental rotation of the same in the reverse direction under the tension of the string 24.

I do not limit my invention to all of the details of form and construction hereinbefore described, but I have presented the most desirable embodiment of my invention known to me. Preferably the bushing 13, which affords what is in effect a ball-bearing against the washer 20, will be in a separate piece, but this bearing may be formed directly on the inner end of the nut 15 and act with good effect, although I consider it more advantageous to obtain the bearing by a piece separate from the nut and which I have termed a bushing.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is t 1. In combination with a stringed musical instrument having a head, a rotatable tapered key extending through the head of the instrument for tuning the string, a screw seated in. the outer end of said key, a sheet metal domed washer applied upon said screw and engaging the side of said head, a bushing having a rounded bearing surface applied on said screw and engaging said washer, a washer applied against said bushing and a nut on said screw for pressing said last mentioned washer and said bushing toward said domed washer, said domed washer being slit to render it resilient, and having a central opening to pass over said screw and receive at its edges said bushing.

2. In combination with a stringed musical instrument having a head, a rotatable tapered key extending through the head of the instrument for tuning the string, a screw seated in the smaller end of said key, a sheet metal domed washer applied upon said screw and having a lateral flange around its edges engaging the side of said head, a nut on said screw and a member having a convex surface engaging said washer, said washer having a central opening to pass over said screw and receive at its edges said member and also being slit for rendering the washer resilient.

In combination with a stringed musical instrument having a head, a rotatable tapered key extending through the head of the instrument for tensioning the string, a screw seated in the smaller end of said key, a sheet metal domed washer applied upon said screw and having a lateral flange around its edges engaging the side of said head, a nut on said screw and a member engaging said washer, said washer having a central opening to pass over said screw and receive at its edges said member and also having a plurality of slits extending downwardly from said opening for rendering the washer resilient.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 26th day of November, A. D. 1918.

BERNHARD PoEHLAND.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR MARION, CrrAs, C. Gini.. 

